Simple scales

Pattern making again. Using greens ink spray that has a sheen to it. Then I drew scale patterns over the top. Finally I wanted three simple elements to add to each scale or tile that would give it an art deco? feel. So I added a wave shape, a dark patch and some vertical lines. With these patterns I think the scales started to look a little like birds.

Model railway?

A ship docks alongside the quay as trains move to and from the docks goods yard. I focused on the boat because it was a very impressive model and clearly took pride of place on the model layout.

My hubby is into trains and often visits model railway exhibitions. I don’t go to many. I can appreciate the skills but I get a bit bored unless there is something interesting on the layouts. He can tell me what the scale of the model is, who manufactured it, even how old its likely to be. Me, I’m more interested in the dioramas (landscapes). How the trees are modelled, any buildings, if there is a Scarecrow in a feild, the quirkier the better!

Not slept so drew

Scales again, I was playing with combinations of colour and black and white. I’m building a large collection of them. Maybe this is enough? Next step is to hang them on my character. Discussing the idea with others I might do a dragon that changes throughout the book. Not because I can’t draw it from different angles, but because it might need to change depending on its circumstances….. Hmmm, I keep seeing new directions!

Scales/tessellations

Try and draw a pattern that fits together, so regular shapes interlock. It’s easy with squares or diamonds, triangles or even hexagons, but when you get onto irregular shapes it’s more difficult. Interlocking shapes made up of the same shape over and over are called tessellations I think. Although I’m not sure because tessera are the little squares or oblongs they use in mosaics I think? I really need to look these things up before I write them down!

Anyway I’m working towards drawing dragons, and they are usually covered in scales, like snakes. That led me to realise that ideally I would like an interlocking pattern. I could look at a snake, or a fish, or a lizard, but I just made my own up. I added some crosshatching for shade and patterns for interest. I hope people aren’t getting bored with my experiments!

Found, a dragon eye

I found this in my previous images on WordPress. It’s a tiny picture of a dragons eye that I painted a couple of years ago. Since I’m researching dragons for college and it seems to be something I’ve looked at over several years. This was a miniature piece about 1 1/2 by 2 inches. I was going to do some more but got sidetracked into doing other paintings. Like many of my mythological paintings it’s entirely imagined.

The seagull

Apparently they are gulls, not seagulls. They have migrated inland and live off waste food in towns, and also rubbish dumps. This one was on a friends windowledge when she stayed overnight at a hotel. If she opened the window it might have come in! She said she was glad it didn’t tap on the glass! I think gulls are handsome birds, the shape and colours of them and their graceful flight. That doesn’t stop them from being cheeky. Swooping down and stealing food, or flying over and releasing droppings onto you! But even with their naughty attitude I ike them.

Sweetie Gwurly

Does anyone else talk to their cat using nicknames and silly words?

I catch myself calling them foofs, and chuzzies, tussy pats, fluffiez, nus-nus.

I call the boy cats nussies, mussy cats, twuddles, puddy pats.

I call the girl cat fluffy chuff, sweetie gwurly, little fud, and hus.

There are other words I can’t remember. I’ve always done it with all my cats. I don’t know why. I think they are ‘terms of endearment?’ I think I probably do it all the time. They are similar sounding to either their names or alternative words that mean cat like puss, pussy cat, puddy tat etc. Am I strange?